


When You're Gone

by beautywithin16



Category: Taggart (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23490526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautywithin16/pseuds/beautywithin16
Summary: Michael gets temporarily transferred leaving the team with Matt Burke in charge. Without seeing each other every day, both Michael and Jackie realise just how much the other means to them.
Relationships: Michael Jardine/Jackie Reid, Mike Jardine/Jackie Reid
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set in 2002 in an AU where Michael doesn't die and Jackie never married Brian. This is inspired by a fanvideo I posted here recently. I wanted to further explore the idea of that. I hope you enjoy. :)

The day had started just like any other. Jackie had been going over a case file with Robbie when Superintendent Patterson walked into Michael’s office.

“Looks like Mike’s getting a telling off,” said Robbie.

“For what?” asked Jackie.

“Well, that last case was a disaster. Someone’s going to get the blame for it,” replied Robbie.

“That wasn’t just Michael’s fault though, we all made mistakes,” said Jackie.

“Aye, but Mike’s the boss. If he doesn’t get blamed, it falls to Patterson. Do you really think she’s going to take responsibility when Mike’s there?” asked Robbie.

“It hardly-“ Jackie was cut off by the loud voices coming from Michael’s office.

Everyone’s attention was fully away from work, they tried to listen to what was being said. After a few minutes, Patterson walked out of Michael’s office.

“Don’t you have better things to do?” asked Patterson sternly.

Jackie tried to get her mind back on work, but she kept thinking about Michael. She caught Robbie’s attention and said quietly “I’m going to check on him”.

Robbie gave a nod of understanding and Jackie left the bullpen.

Jackie knocked on the door of Michael’s office. No answer. Jackie knocked again.

“Michael?”

After another moment of silence Michael replied, “Alright, come in.”

Jackie stepped into the office and grew concerned at the look on Michael’s face. He looked defeated. There was no point in asking if he was okay, she could tell he wasn’t.

Jackie went to sit down on the chair opposite him, “What happened?”

Michael sighed, “Do you want the good news or bad news first?”

“Michael, just tell me. Please?”

“Okay. I’m getting transferred. To Aberdeen”.

Jackie was shocked, not believing what she was hearing. “What? Why… would they transfer you?”

“After everything that happened with that last case, they think I should stay away for a while.”

“How long’s a while?” she asked wearily.

“Six months. The DCI of the team I’m going to oversee is about to go on maternity leave. When she goes back, I get to come back here. So, you won’t be rid of me for too long,” replied Michael with a small smile.

Jackie didn’t smile back. “There must be something that can be done. You’ve been here for fifteen years. You’ve been in charge of this team for eight of those. They can’t just transfer you.”

“Yes, they can.”

Seeing the unhappiness on her face, Michael tried to reassure her. “Look, it’s okay… really”.

Jackie looked unconvinced.

“Anyway, I’ll be back in six months. When I inevitably make everyone’s lives miserable again, you’ll all wish it was permanent.”

Jackie smiled in reply, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

They both spent the next couple of moments in silence. Trying to take everything in. Though she knew that Michael had tried to cheer her up a little, she could see the sadness in his eyes. She wanted to help him, to make him feel better but, she wasn’t sure how.

Jackie let out a breath. “How are you?”

“Honestly?” He shook his head. “No, I’m not okay. I know it’s not forever, but I never really imagined being transferred out of here”.

 _I never imagined you leaving here either,_ she thought to herself.

“I’ve always been in Glasgow. It’s going to be strange living and working somewhere else.”

Jackie had been so focused on the idea of Michael leaving the team that she hadn’t considered that he’d also be leaving Glasgow. It was bad enough that she wouldn’t be seeing him every day at work, knowing they’d be little chance of seeing him off duty made her feel worse. She tried to push the feelings aside. She had to be there for Michael.

“When do you leave?” she asked him.

“Friday. I start my new job on Monday.”

That only gave him a week to sort things out. She took a moment to reply, wanting to appear calm. “They haven’t given you much time to get everything in order have they?”

Michael shook his head in reply.

“Look, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. You’ll have a lot on your plate this week and if there’s anything I can do to ease that I’ll do it.”

Michael looked grateful for that. “I might take you up on that, thank you,” he said sincerely.

“Anytime, you know that,” she gave him a reassuring smile. She hoped he could see that like always; she’d be there helping him through this. “What do you want me to tell the others?”

“Nothing if possible. I’ll make an announcement later. Right now, try and carry on as normal, okay?” he said the last part softly.

Jackie gave a nod before getting up and going to the door. Just as she was about to turn the handle she looked back at Michael. “I’ll see you,” she said.

“Yeah,” giving her a small smile.

Jackie shut the door to Michael’s office. Taking a moment to process everything that had just happened. She couldn’t believe what Michael had told her and all the feelings she had tried to push aside were now rising from the surface. She took a deep breath and made her way into the bullpen.

She went back to her desk where Robbie questioned her.

“What happened with Mike and Patterson?” he asked quietly.

Jackie didn’t answer, trying to think of something to say that didn’t go against Michael’s wishes.

“It must have been bad whatever it was, you look like you’ve come off badly from it. Did he tell you off too?”

Jackie took a deep breath. “No, he didn’t. Just leave it, okay?” she replied, trying to stay composed.

“Are you alright? You don’t look too good”, Robbie asked looking slightly concerned.

“I’m fine.”

 _No, I’m not_. _My best friend is leaving, the one person that I can count on for anything will be gone. That’s not okay,_ she added silently.

Robbie didn’t look convinced.

“Look, Michael said he’ll drop by later. So, how about we get on with this and Michael can tell you himself,” she said firmly, her tone suggesting he’d better drop the subject fast.

Robbie sighed. “All right,” he said before going back to the case file.

Jackie tried to focus on the file, but her thoughts of Michael made that easier said than done.


	2. Chapter 2

Michael felt the soft breeze hit his face as he took in his surroundings on the roof. Today had been his last day. It had been quiet for the most part, he’d spent most of the day tying up loose ends. To make the transition period easier, his replacement DCI Matt Burke had come in to meet the team and to find out everything they were working on. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of Burke. The man was old school, beyond that he hadn’t had much of a chance to get an impression of him. Still, he was hopeful that he’d be good for the team.

Leaning on the balustrade, Michael reflected on the past few days. Sorting everything out for his move to Aberdeen had been a little hectic. Thankfully, Jackie had been there to help him, just like always. Michael sighed as he felt another gentle breeze hit him. He’d miss this spot, a place he would go to either cool or reflect. Sometimes he’d be followed by Jackie, he smiled at some of the memories. Still, time to go, he had somewhere he had to be.

He went back to his office to collect his things before taking one last look at the bullpen. He thought back to some of the things that had occurred here. Some were good memories, some were bad.

_It’s only for six months. You’ll be back. It’s not forever,_ he thought to himself. _  
_

That didn’t mean he wouldn’t miss the place though. The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts and he turned to find Jackie. He smiled. “I just thought I’d take a final look.”

She smiled in return. “I figured as much. Are you ready to go? Everybody will be getting ready.”

Ah yes, the farewell party. Jackie had organised a party at her house. The last time he’d see his colleagues for a while. Burke had also been invited, but he’d declined as he had things he had to do. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The party had a good turnout, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Michael could see Robbie in the corner flirting with another officer, secretly glad it wasn’t with Jackie. Speaking of Jackie, Michael saw her laughing with Stuart. He went over to them.

“Any of you need a refill?” he asked.

Stuart shook his head.

“Michael, it’s your party,” she said with a smile.

Michael shrugged. “What were you laughing about?”

“Oh, Robbie’s been going on about this woman he’s interested in, but she doesn’t feel the same,” replied Jackie.

Michael smirked, “Well, he certainly seems to have gotten over that rejection.”

“Definitely.” Jackie smiled at Michael.

After talking with Jackie and Stuart for a few moments, Robbie joined them.

“So, Mike how about a speech?” grinned Robbie.

Michael turned to Jackie.

“What? Did you really think you were going to go without saying something?” The look on Jackie’s face told him he wasn’t going to get out of it.

By now most of the occupants of the room were chanting “Speech! Speech!”

“Okay, okay,” Michael said almost resignedly, although he didn’t mind.

Michael moved to the centre of Jackie’s living room. “First of all, thank you all for coming and thank you Jackie for organising a splendid party.”

Everyone briefly turned to acknowledge Jackie, raising their glasses.

Michael continued “It won’t be easy leaving; I’ve been at Maryhill for fifteen years and have so many memories. There’s been some losses,” he thought of Jim Taggart, “and some great additions over the years. And along the way I’ve made some friendships that I know will last,” he looked at Jackie as he said this. “It’s been great to work with all of you, and yes, that includes you, Robbie,” he grinned.

That got a laugh from everyone in the room, knowing the two didn’t have the easiest working relationship.

After the laughter died down, Michael said “Seriously though, it’s been great and I’m very much looking forward to working with you again in six months. Cheers.”

Everyone started cheering for Michael, with Robbie patting him on the back and Jackie putting her arm around him. Michael spent the rest of the party making sure everyone was included and said his goodbyes. Eventually, the party started to die down until there was only Michael and Jackie left.

Michael turned to Jackie “Thank you.”

She smiled at him. “My pleasure.”

“I was a bit surprised at the turnout.”

“Well, we’re all sorry to see you go, even if it is only temporary.” She made a start on cleaning the room up.

Michael went to join her. “Do you want a hand?”

A mild look of surprise crossed Jackie’s face. “I thought you’d want an early night for tomorrow.”

Michael shook his head. “I probably won’t get much sleep and I don’t have to leave first thing.” In truth, he didn’t want to leave Jackie just yet.

They spent the time going over old memories and before they knew it, the room was now back to normal.

“I suppose I should go now,” said Michael reluctantly.

Jackie nodded.

Michael sighed, unsure of what to say. She was his best friend, she’d always been there for him, had always been the one person he could count on. Looking at her right now, Michael realised that out of everyone and everything he was leaving behind, Jackie was the one he would miss the most. The thought of not seeing her every day hurt him. He wasn’t sure how he’d be able to cope without her. How the hell could he articulate any of that to her?

He moved closer to Jackie, just outside of her personal space. “I... want to thank you. For everything. You’ve always been there, and you have no idea what that’s meant to me.”

Jackie shrugged, blushing a little at his gaze. “You’ve done the same for me.”

Michael sighed, shaking his head. “Not always as well as I should have, and I’m sorry for that.” He took one of her hands in his, “I want you to know that if you ever need anything, I’m here. I mean that. Just because we won’t be colleagues doesn’t mean we’re no longer friends. I’m only a phone call away, okay?”

Jackie nodded, “That goes both ways.”

“I know.” Michael smiled at her, still holding her hand. They stood like that for a moment.

Jackie’s eyes went to their enjoined hands and smirked. “You know, you can let go of my hand now,” she gave him a playful look.

They both laughed, thinking of a moment twelve years ago shortly after they first met. Michael let go of her hand, but only to engulf her in a hug. He could feel her tightening the embrace by putting her arms around him, both wondering when they’d next be able to see each other again. Michael released her as Jackie smiled at him.

“I’m… I’ll miss you,” her voice cracked slightly.

“I’ll miss you too.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, lingering for a brief moment. He then went to get his coat before heading to the door. He turned to look at Jackie one last time. “See you around, eh?”

“See you, Michael.”

He gave her one last smile before leaving her, not seeing the tears in her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Part of this chapter is based on a scene from the episode "Fire, Burn".**

Jackie was at the pub with Robbie and Stuart. It had been a long day and she had gladly accepted Robbie’s offer to go out for drinks.

“What do you think of Burke?” asked Stuart.

“I think it’ll be an interesting six months,” replied Robbie.

Jackie nodded in agreement before taking a sip of her drink.

Robbie regarded her for a moment. “The two of you don’t seem to have hit it off well.”

No, they hadn’t. Jackie knew it wouldn’t be easy for her to cope with Michael’s replacement, but it seemed she had underestimated how difficult it would be. It had been one of those days where she hadn’t been able to do anything right. Burke had not been happy. “I have had easier days, but at least tomorrow’s another day, eh?”

“Of course. It’s understandable, you worked with Mike a long time,” said Stuart with a reassuring smile.

She smiled back. “Thanks.”

“But you will have to show him that you accept him as the boss,” warned Robbie. “Unless you want the next six months to be hellish.”

Why did that sound so challenging? She was made of stronger stuff than that. She was sure that by the end of the week she’d be better adjusted to Burke’s leadership.

* * *

If only. It had been two weeks and things had gone from bad to worse. She had found herself doing jobs she hadn’t done since she first joined the CID. At least back then she had Michael. Jackie sighed at her computer desk. They hadn’t been able to talk much, both busy with their new circumstances. She never thought she’d miss him _this_ badly. Judging by the looks she caught from several of her colleagues, they could see how much she missed him too. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Burke coming over to her desk.

“Jackie, a moment in my office,” said Burke.

She followed him into the office, Michael’s office. Except that it no longer was his office and wouldn’t be any time soon.

“Take a seat,” said Burke.

Jackie sat down, knowing whatever he was going to say wasn’t going to be pleasant. They’d barely agreed over anything since he arrived. She doubted this would be different.

“What the hell did you think you were doing going behind my back like that?” asked Burke.

Jackie sighed; they were in the middle of a tough case. She’d thought she’d found a lead and told Burke, but he had told her to drop it. So, she had decided to check it out herself, to no avail. It may not have been the best thing to have done, but it had seemed like the right thing to do.

“I thought it might have helped. We don’t seem to be getting anywhere. I didn’t exactly have a lot on my plate, and I wanted to be useful. I’m sorry” she said.

“When you show me, I can trust you, I’ll start giving you more responsibilities!” retorted Burke.

“Right,” muttered Jackie.

Burke leaned forward slightly. “Look, I wasn’t exactly happy about this transfer either! I know you’re close with Mike Jardine, but I never got rid of him. Like it or not I’m here for the next six months. Just because you don’t like how I run things doesn’t give you the right to go behind my back whenever you disagree with me!”

Jackie glared at Burke. She would have accepted being told off had Burke not mentioned Michael, but the mention of him was more than she could take. “No. Leave Michael out of it. This has nothing to do with him,” she said firmly.

“How?” shouted Burke. “The way you’re acting you’d think the two of you had been married- “

“Are we done?” Jackie rose her voice slightly.

“No!”

Jackie got up from the chair, not wanting to listen to more of what he had to say. “I think I am.” Jackie left the office, ignoring his response.

Up on the roof, Jackie gathered her thoughts. She knew Michael would go here whenever he’d need to cool down. It seemed appropriate to do the same. Tears of frustration trailed down her cheeks, she didn’t bother to wipe them away. She tried to understand why Michael’s leaving had affected her so much. He had been her boss for years and had worked together for years before that. He was also her best friend. It was difficult not seeing him every day. On the other hand, it wasn’t as if he was dead, she would see him again, would one day work with him again. So, why was she so torn up inside?

Jackie thought back to Burke’s comments. She supposed that her relationship with Michael could be compared to a marriage. They’d probably seen each other more often than most spouses. There was a trust that she had never felt with anyone else. She could go to him for anything and she knew he felt the same way. He was an important person in her life, maybe even the most. What did that mean? Jackie wasn’t sure.

Jackie wiped the tears from her eyes when her mobile rang. It was Michael. He was probably the last person she should be talking to right now, but she couldn’t help the smile that formed her lips. She waited a couple of seconds to compose herself before answering. “Hello?”

“Hi Jackie, it’s me. I have a few minutes, so I thought I’d see how you were.”

“I’m… okay,” her voice shook slightly.

“Are you sure?” she could hear the concern in his voice.

“Yeah, it’s been a bit of a rough day, but I think I’m starting to feel better.” She wasn’t lying. Hearing Michael’s voice had brightened her spirits somewhat. She took a breath before changing the subject. “How are you? Are you settling in okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s a bit of an adjustment, but I’m getting there. I just finished my first case.”

“That’s great and I’m glad you’re settling in,” she said sincerely. She didn’t like him not being there, but she’d hate for him to have a terrible time. “I knew you’d do great.”

“Thanks. So, how are things with Matt Burke?”

“Eh… that would probably take up a more than a few minutes to tell you,” her voice still shaking a little.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Really, I’m fine. It’s just a tough case, we can’t seem to find any leads.”

“I understand. I better let you go then; it sounds like you’re busy.”

Not as much as you’d think, she thought. As much as she wanted to continue the conversation, she knew she had to try and put things right. “Okay. Michael… it was good to hear from you.”

“You too. Call me sometime, okay?”

“Sure. Bye, Michael.”

“Bye, Jackie,” he ended the call.

Jackie put her mobile back in her pocket. It had been nice talking to Michael, the best part of a shit day. Now she just had to figure out how to sort things with Burke.

* * *

Michael put his mobile away and sighed. He had just finished his first case since transferring. Things were… okay. Everything felt so different. His new colleagues had been welcoming towards him and he could tell they were all good officers. Still, something felt missing. Sometimes, he still half expected to see his old team. He even missed Robbie being a nuisance. That wasn’t entirely fair. He respected Robbie; their methods of working were just completely different.

What was really a struggle was doing this without Jackie. He knew he’d miss her, but he hadn’t realised how much he relied on her. It was hell not being able to laugh with her and he missed working with her. Over the two weeks he’d been here, he’d realised that he’d never have a working relationship like the one he had with Jackie. He would never be able to trust anyone in the way he trusted her. He could rationalise that was to be expected, they’d worked together for over a decade, he would only be working with this team for six months. He also knew it went much deeper than that, one of the many things he missed was seeing her off duty. He couldn’t think of a single occasion where he’d been sick of the sight of her.

That was why he phoned her. He’d wanted to share his first success here, but then he’d heard her voice. He could always tell when she was upset, and she’d sounded it when he called. He wondered why she hadn’t wanted to talk about it. Could it be about Burke? She wasn’t keen on talking about him earlier. Did she miss him as much as he missed her? Michael pondered this. When they’d first met, she’d been a WPC and they’d worked together throughout her career in the CID. Perhaps this was an uneasy adjustment for her too.

He had meant what he said about still being there for her. Usually, he would wait until she was ready to talk, but he wasn’t sure if the distance between them would cause a barrier. He didn’t want to risk that. He couldn’t be there for her physically, but he’d still be there for her in other ways. Deciding on a course of action, he went to his emails and typed a message for Jackie.

* * *

Jackie had been on the go for most of the day. After her time on the roof, she apologised to Burke. To his credit, he’d let her go off with Robbie. They’d even made a little progress with the case. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. She decided to check her emails before leaving the station for the day.

A look of puzzlement crossed her face, one of the emails was from Michael. By the looks of it, he’d sent it shortly after their phone call. She opened the message and read it. A slow smile spread across her face, brightening as the email went on. She felt like Michael had hugged her. This had been what she needed; he always knew how to cheer her up.

“You know, that’s the biggest smile I’ve seen from you for a while,” said Robbie.

Jackie turned to face him.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah…” Jackie smiled. “I’m alright. I just got an email from an old friend.”

Robbie gave a knowing smile, telling her he knew exactly who her friend was. “Fancy a drink?”

“Actually, I think I’m just going to go home, have a bath and try for an early night.”

“Sure thing. See you tomorrow.” Robbie turned to go.

“Bye, Robbie.” She turned back to her computer, replying to Michael. Yes, she would cope with this. She’d been able to work with Taggart; she could certainly work with Burke. Most importantly, she had Michael’s support and with that she could do anything.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much Michael in this chapter, but I promise, he’s heavily featured in the next one.

The team had just finished a case. Jackie was looking forward to going home. It was now just over a month since Burke had joined the team and her opinion of him had begun to change. She could now see that he was good at the job. Robbie had been right; things were interesting under Burke. Thankfully, for the right reasons. She still missed Michael, though their phone calls helped to deal with it better. She thought about phoning him later, it had been a few days since they last talked.

She saw Burke walk into the empty bullpen and acknowledged him. “Sir.”

Burke went over to her. “That was good work, Jackie.”

“Thanks, Sir.”

“I heard from Stuart that you’re in close contact with Mike Jardine.”

Jackie nodded.

Burke looked unsure how to continue. “You’re good friends, you and Mike?”

Jackie had no idea where he was going with this. “Yeah… have been for years. Why?”

“From what I’ve heard the two of you seem to be very close.”

“As I said, we’ve known each other a long time,” she said with forced brightness.

“Is there more to it than that?”

“Sir?”

“I’ll get straight to the point. Have you considered that your feelings might be beyond friendliness?”

Jackie didn’t know how to respond to that. It wasn’t the first time the subject had been brought up. She was usually quick to rubbish those suggestions, yet that seemed difficult now. After a moment, she finally responded. “Look… you wouldn’t be the first person to get the wrong end of the stick- “

“It’s just I’ve never seen anyone react the way you did to their boss leaving.”

Jackie resisted the urge to scoff at this. A moment ago, he had praised her, was he now trying to imply that her work was poor?

“Are you saying I can’t handle the job?”

“No, that’s not what I’m getting that. I’ve heard good things about you. Particularly, from Robbie and Mike.”

Jackie broke eye contact at the mention of Michael.

“It took a couple of weeks but, I can see why they’ve praised you. You’re a good cop, Jackie,” he paused for a moment before continuing. “That’s why I think you should take this time to think about how you really feel. Mike will be back, and you’ll be working together again. You need to make sure those feelings don’t interfere with the job.”

Jackie looked back up, meeting Burke’s eyes. She could tell he wasn’t being unkind. He was just stating some observations. She no longer resented him; in fact, she was starting to respect him. Although she didn’t want to admit it, he had a point. Jackie knew she had some serious thinking to do. “I’ll keep that in mind. Am I okay to go?”

“Sure. Goodnight Jackie,” Burke turned to go into his office.

“Night, Sir,” she went to her desk to collect her things.

Back at home, Jackie sat on the couch with a glass of wine, contemplating Burke’s words. Her feelings for Michael, she thought, were complex. He wasn’t her lover, but he was so important to her. When Michael went to Aberdeen, she’d felt like her world had turned upside down. The phone calls helped, but they were no substitute for actually seeing him. She missed his smile, missed everything about him.

She went through some of their memories over in her mind. She had always cared about him, ever since the moment they met. His heartbreaks were her heartbreaks, if he was happy then so was she. Jackie sighed. She’d be lying if she’d said she’d never entertained the idea of them being more than friends. She’d even had a crush on him when they first met, but Jackie had gotten over it. Or so she thought. Maybe the reality was that she had just buried it. Maybe somewhere along the way it had grown to love, just waiting to be laid bare.

Jackie took a big gulp of her drink. She could really do with talking to someone right now. Stuart was on a date and Robbie was spending some rare quality time with his son, Jamie. She considered talking to someone from outside of work, but over the years her list of friends had dwindled. She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to any of them about this.

The phone interrupted her thoughts. She got up from the couch, welcoming any chance of a distraction. She answered the phone. “D.S Reid.”

“Hi, Jackie it’s Michael here.”

_Oh, no. You’re the last person I need to talk to right now,_ she thought. “Oh hi, Michael. How are you?” Trying to sound more chipper than she felt.

“Pretty good, actually. I’m just back after spending the day doing paperwork.”

“Well, that’s always a nice feeling,” she said with a smile.

“How are things?” he asked.

“Good. We just finished a case. I even got a bit of praise from Burke.” She had eventually told Michael about her struggles with Burke. He had been understanding and he had given her the encouragement and support she’d needed to help her through it. Was it any wonder she- _Oh! Burke was right,_ she realised.

“Great, I’m glad the two of you were able to sort things out.”

Jackie was only half-listening, reeling from her realisation.

“Jackie?”

“Sorry, I was miles away.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Actually, I should be going. I promised Robbie and Stuart I’d meet up with them later,” she lied.

“I won’t get in the way, then. Have a good time.”

“Thanks. I’ll phone you tomorrow.”

“I’ll look forward to it. Night, Jackie.”

“Goodnight, Michael.”

Jackie put the phone down and sighed. She hated lying to him, but she just couldn’t face talking to him tonight. Not when she… realised she loved him. She didn’t need months to think about it, she had just needed tonight. She only hoped that whatever happened, it wouldn’t drive Michael away from her life.


	5. Chapter 5

Talking on the phone was not something Michael ever thought would become one of his favourite pastimes. His chats with Jackie proved to be a great way to unwind. Not that they hadn’t been before, it’s just that being away from her made him more appreciative of them.

Of her.

“Look, I don’t know if you’d be able to, but Robbie and I are organising a surprise birthday party for Stuart. I think Stuart would like it if you came,” said Jackie.

He’d known that Stuart’s birthday was coming up and was happy to be invited. He was due to take a couple of days off; he could even try to see Ian. It would be nice to see everyone again; it would be especially good to see Jackie.

“I’d love to, I might even be able to take a couple of days off. I’d have to make arrangements of course, but it shouldn’t be a problem,” he said.

“That’s great.”

He could hear the delight in her voice and smiled. It was good to know that she was as happy to see him as he was to see her.

“Now, I need to find a hotel to book.”

“Don’t be silly, Michael. You know I have a spare room you’re welcome to.”

That did sound appealing, and he’d be able to see more of Jackie. He didn’t want to push his luck though.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be any trouble.”

“Of course, it’s no trouble. I’m happy to have you.”

“Good… I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’ll text you the details later. I have to go, talk to you soon.”

“Sure, bye Jackie.”

That was an interesting development, Michael thought. He hadn’t been back in Glasgow since his transfer. He had simply been too busy. However, he really was due a couple of days off. Unless a case came up, he didn’t see why he couldn’t go.

He thought of Jackie. He was a little surprised at her offer to stay at her place. There had been times over the past few weeks where she had been acting distant. He was even sure she’d lied to him to get out of a phone call. He hadn’t pressed her, confident that she would talk about it when she felt ready. Although, the past couple of weeks had been better and Jackie had been more like her usual self. Hopefully, he’d have a good indication of how she was doing when he saw her.

Fortunately, Michael had been able to take time off work. The party would be at Robbie’s but he was going to meet Jackie beforehand. He drove to Jackie’s place; he was looking forward to seeing her. Turning into her street, he could see that she wasn’t home yet. Thankfully, Michael knew where her spare key was, and Jackie had told him to make himself at home.

Entering her home, Michael felt a rush of emotions. It almost felt like coming home, and maybe in a way, it was. He had visited this place often enough, the only thing missing was Jackie. He hadn’t heard from her since this morning, which hopefully meant that they weren’t on a case. He went over to the couch, trailing his hand over the back, before taking his jacket off and sitting down. He shut his eyes, wanting to relax for a moment after the long drive.

Michael woke to the sound of the front door opening. Looking at the clock, he realised he’d been asleep for just over an hour. Then it hit him that he was about to see Jackie for the first time in two months.

He got up from the couch, looked over to the door, and there she was.

Jackie smiled. “Long time, no see.”

Michael smiled back. “Well… I’ve been a bit busy. Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.”

Michael went over to her and gave her a hug. Jackie immediately returned the embrace, both relishing that they were in each other’s presence again.

Jackie let go of Michael, stepping just out of his personal space. “Did you get here, okay?” she asked, not quite meeting his eyes.

“Yeah, though I did sleep on your couch for a bit,” he said sheepishly.

Jackie smiled, now meeting his eyes. “I think we just about have enough time for me to fix us something to eat before we head over to Robbie’s.”

“That sounds great, thanks,” he said before they went into the kitchen.

* * *

The party was now in full swing. Michael went over to Jackie, gently took her arm, and guided her to the corner in Robbie’s living room.

“Why is everyone surprised to see me?” asked Michael.

Jackie shrugged. “I suppose people thought you’d be too busy. It’s not bad though, people are happy to see you.”

That was true. People did seem happy to see him, especially Stuart. Though he did have to remind him that as they were off duty and technically not colleagues, he didn’t have to call him “Sir”. This seemed to be a struggle whenever he was In Michael’s presence. Still, he seemed to be enjoying the party, and it was nice seeing him and the others again.

After chatting with her for a couple of minutes, he let Jackie go. He caught up with Robbie and Stuart and made conversation with a few others. He made sure not to ask about Burke. He was also at the party, and it looked like he got on well enough with everyone. Eventually, he went back to Jackie.

After a few minutes he noticed Burke glancing at them. This wouldn’t have bothered Michael, except that he’d been doing it throughout the party.

He leaned over to Jackie. “Am I the only one noticing Matt Burke’s glances at us?”

From the look on her face, he could tell that not only did she notice, it also made her uncomfortable.

“Jackie, is everything okay?”

She stepped out of his personal space. “Everything’s fine. I’m sure Burke doesn’t mean anything by it. I’m going to see to Stuart.”

Michael was not convinced. He considered talking to Burke but decided against it. This was a party; he didn’t want to risk ruining it. He also knew Jackie wouldn’t be pleased; she’d probably think he was interfering. He just wanted her to be happy, and right now he wasn’t sure she was.

Michael sighed. There wasn’t much he could do about it now. He was going to do his best to enjoy the party. He’d think about this later.

Michael and Jackie didn’t go back to her place until late, but neither of them were tired. It was their first real chance to properly talk to each other since he arrived. What had pleased Michael though, was that Jackie finally seemed at ease.

“Look… I’m planning on seeing Ian tomorrow. But I was thinking we could maybe do something together afterwards.”

He anxiously waited for her answer, not understanding why he was feeling that way.

“Sure.”

“Great,” he smiled. “I’ll let you decide on what to do.”

“Okay,” she smiled back, looking away from him.

The conversation went on to other things, neither of them wanted the night to end. Michael went to get something from the kitchen and when he came back, Jackie was fast asleep. He looked at her clock, it was nearly three in the morning. He hadn’t realised it was that late.

He considered leaving her on the couch but thought better of it. She’d feel better in her bed than on the couch. He went over to wake her but stopped. He took her in for a long moment and came to a conclusion he should have realised long ago.

The intense feelings of missing her that never went away. The way he felt whenever he was with her. The power she had over him, a power that Jackie didn’t know she had, and Michael knew she would never take advantage of.

He was in love with her.

Almost as if she felt him watching her, Jackie woke.

“Sorry… how long was I out?” she looked bleary-eyed.

“Not long, but we should probably get some sleep.”

Jackie nodded before getting up from the couch.

“Thanks… for letting me stay,” he said.

Jackie smiled. “My pleasure.”

Michael tried not to look at her lips. He replied with a small smile. “Night.”

“Goodnight, Michael.”

He went to the spare bedroom, to get ready for bed. Knowing that the chances of him getting much sleep now were slim.


	6. Chapter 6

It had not been a good morning for Michael. The Chief Superintendent had been missing for a couple of days. The station was rife with rumours. Some were credible, but some were just bizarre. Michael had several times throughout the day told people to put a lid on it. The atmosphere in the station was one of unease.

Michael was sitting in his Superintendent’s office. He could tell from the older man’s face that something was wrong. He also had a feeling that it involved the missing DCS.

The Superintendent went straight to the point. “DCS Dawson was found murdered earlier this morning.”

“I’m sorry. I know he was well regarded here,” Michael said sincerely.

“It is a great loss, aye,” he looked down at the desk.

The DSI had Michael’s sympathies. It was never easy losing an officer. He thought of Jim Taggart, even years later he still missed him.

The moment had passed, and Michael could see that the DSI was back in control.

“He was found in Glasgow, your old patch actually,” he noted the slight look of surprise on Michael’s face. “It’s technically their case, but they’re coming over here to liaise.”

Michael nodded. “They’re all very good officers. From what I’ve heard, Burke’s been a great asset. They’ll help find whoever did this.”

“Okay, make sure everyone’s able to work together. Tensions will be running high, but the last thing we need is people being un-cooperative.”

“Of course,” said Michael.

“That will be all.”

Michael got up and made to leave the office. When he reached the door, he turned back.

“I am sorry for your loss.”

The DSI gave a small nod of acknowledgement before Michael left the office.

Michael stood outside the office for a moment collecting his thoughts. He had not seen that coming. He didn’t like working with different stations, mostly because an officer would usually end up involved in the case. At least he didn’t have to worry about that with his old team. He was thankful his current team would be liaising with them. 

Of course, there could be some awkwardness. However, he always tried to act professional, and this would be no different.

He thought of Jackie, he’d need her through this. Just the thought of her being here brought him some comfort. He hadn’t seen her in over a month, when they’d spent most of the day together after Stuart’s party. The main highlight was the realisation of how deep his feelings for her ran.

Michael shook his head. This wasn’t the appropriate time to think about that. He had a job to do and he was damn well going to make sure that things ran as smoothly as possible.

His former team arrived a couple of hours later, and Michael had been happy to see them. He’d introduced both teams to each other, before everyone was given their orders.

Robbie had been paired with a DS Steve Murdoch. He had recently started dating someone from the team: DC Eve Burns.

“I hope Robbie doesn’t stick his oar in,” muttered Michael.

“What’s that?” asked Jackie.

Michael looked a little startled; he hadn’t realised Jackie had been there.

Michael shook his head. “Nothing. You all set?”

“Just about. Michael… the Chief Super… what was he like?”

“Honestly, I didn’t know him well. I know he was well thought of and people are genuinely upset at his death. Just… don’t be surprised if people are reluctant for you to get involved. This is personal for them,” he looked sympathetic.

“Sure,” she gave a small nod.

Michael could tell she wasn’t happy, but that she understood.

“Look, I know it isn’t in good circumstances, but I am happy to see you,” he said softly.

“It’s good to see you too,” she said with a small smile.

“Well, I’m going to spend the rest of the afternoon with Matt Burke. Any tips?”

“Hmm… Stuart was once reliably informed that his bite is worse than his bark.”

“Isn’t it usually the other way around?” he looked bewildered.

“Just something to bear in mind,” she said with a smirk before she left him.

Michael chuckled to himself, this was going to be an interesting day.

Michael had been right. There had been a couple of disagreements, but by the end of the day Michael had started to respect Burke.

Michael was in his office, getting ready to go home. There was nothing more that could be done today. A part of him wanted to go straight to bed, but the bigger part of him wanted to seek out Jackie. They’d barely seen each other since she had arrived earlier.

He left his office to go to the bullpen, his eyes scanned the place for any signs she might still be there. His luck was in as he spotted her getting ready to leave. She noticed him and smiled.

Michael went over to her.

“So… any plans for tonight?” he asked.

“No,” she replied. Robbie and Stuart had invited her out for drinks. They were going with some officers from Michael’s new team. She declined, hoping she’d be able to catch up with Michael instead.

“Fancy a takeaway? There’s a place I like to go to, not far from here. I can show you my flat.”

“Sounds great,” she said.

Michael smiled and they left the station. Neither had expected the day to pan out this way, but both took comfort in something they had done regularly before his transfer.

They had eaten most of the takeaway in silence. Both felt content with each other. It had almost felt like old times but being in Michael’s new flat was a constant reminder that it wasn’t. They both knew, deep down, that when Michael eventually returned, things wouldn’t be quite the same.

Neither wanted to contemplate it, they both wanted to enjoy the night in each other’s company. Their time together was now an all too rare occurrence.

After the meal, Michael gave Jackie a proper tour of his flat. He accepted her compliments, but he could easily tell what she was thinking.

“No, it’s not really my style,” he shrugged. “I just didn’t see the point in doing the place up, when I’ll be moving again soon.”

Jackie nodded. “That’s understandable.”

They were standing in Michael living room, and for the first time since they had arrived, Jackie took note of the photographs on display.

There weren’t many, mostly family pictures. Jackie paid particular attention to one and smiled. It was a picture of the two of them from a few years ago, taken at a party.

“I always did like that photo,” she said, while turning to look at him.

“Me too,” he said, not meeting her eyes.

Sensing his embarrassment, Jackie changed the subject.

“So, is there anything I should know about your team?”

They talked about work for a while, before switching to other things. They continued chatting until Jackie began to yawn.

Jackie looked at her watch. “I better go.”

For a moment, Michel considered letting her have the spare room, but decided against it. He didn’t want to risk any rumours about them. With the case they were on, it would feel inappropriate.

“Sure. Thanks for dropping by,” he said.

Jackie smiled. “Thanks for inviting me. It was nice catching up.”

Michael replied with a small smile.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jackie said after a brief moment.

“I’ll see you.”

Jackie smiled before letting herself out. Michael stood for a moment, before letting out a sigh, then he got ready for bed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Robbie was at the pub with DS Murdoch. Stuart had also been there, but he’d left earlier as he wanted an early night. Murdoch’s girlfriend, DC Burns, had just left a moment ago.

“So, how long has that been going on?” asked Robbie.

“Me and Eve? A couple of weeks,” the younger man smiled.

Robbie leaned on the bar. He could tell that the relationship was new and that they seemed happy together.

The sergeant went on to explain that he’d been wanting to ask her out for a while but had decided to wait as Mike had taken charge of their team. Robbie had smirked at that; he could understand why anyone would be reluctant to start something under Mike’s command. Murdoch looked reluctant to continue. So, of course, Robbie had to know more.

“Something obviously changed your mind,” said Robbie.

Murdoch nodded. “I did go to Jardine for advice. He seemed reluctant to get involved, but he did say he’d be supportive, and he has.”

Murdoch looked like he was thinking about saying something else, which only intrigued Robbie further.

“What?” asked Robbie.

“How long have you known Jardine?” asked Murdoch.

“A few years,” replied Robbie, unsure of what that had to do with anything.

“It’s just… he made a comment about a superior officer warning him off a colleague years ago. He admitted that he regretted it,” said Murdoch.

Robbie instantly thought of Jackie. He knew that they’d worked together under the same boss before Mike had taken over. He thought back to when he first joined the team, he’d been sure that Mike had fancied Jackie. He even remembered Jackie making a comment about Mike seeing her as his personal property.

He had since come to realise that their relationship was more complex than that. He wasn’t sure what they felt for each other, but it wasn’t a typical working relationship.

For a while, after Mike had been transferred, Jackie had looked miserable. She had seemed to have gotten over it now, but there were times when it looked like she was half expecting to see Michael, only to see Burke.

Robbie decided to change the subject, before calling it a night himself. Back at his hotel room, his mind kept thinking back to Murdoch’s comments. Maybe he should keep an eye on them, he thought to himself, before finally falling asleep.

* * *

A few days later, Michael was sitting in his office. The case was now over. While he was relieved that the case was solved, he was sorry to see his old team go. Though he wouldn’t miss the strange glances that Robbie had given him. He’d assumed they had already left, so he was surprised when Jackie entered his office.

“Hi, I thought you’d be gone by now,” said Michael.

“Almost, I thought I’d check up on you before we left,” she said.

Michael smiled. “I’m okay. I still have a lot to do. We need to give DCS Dawson a send-off amongst other things, but I’m fine.”

“Good.”

“You know…” trailed Michael.

“What?” asked Jackie, going over to his desk.

“We work really well together,” he finally said.

It had been their breakthrough that solved the case, something that Michael took pride in. He’d loved working with her again, he was sure that he’d never find anyone who would be quite on the same wavelength with him as Jackie.

“I’ve always thought so,” she said with a smile.

“I have missed working with you,” he admitted.

“Is that all you’ve missed?” Jackie teased.

“No,” Michael got up from his seat and went over to Jackie, just outside of her personal space. “Your friendship and support have always meant the world to me.”

Jackie smiled, but this time it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Michael couldn’t tell if she looked embarrassed or disappointed. Had he said the wrong thing?

In an instant her expression changed, with a look of genuine warmth towards him. “I miss you too. I do like Burke but…”

_He’s not you_ , she thought to herself.

“Anyway, you’re over halfway through your transfer. You’ll be back before you know it.”

Michael nodded and smiled at her. They stood in silence, neither of them knowing what to say. As the silence went on, the tension in the room increased.

Until a knock on Michael’s door broke it.

It was Robbie.

“Am I interrupting anything?” asked Robbie.

Both Michael and Jackie shook their heads.

“I was just about to go,” Jackie said to Robbie.

“I was actually hoping to have a word with Mike,” said Robbie.

“Sure,” said Michael.

Jackie turned back to Michael. “I’ll see you.”

“Bye, Jackie.”

Jackie left the office leaving Michael and Robbie alone. Michael went to sit in his chair before motioning to Robbie to take the following seat.

“What do you want?” asked Michael.

“Nice team you have here,” said Robbie.

“Thanks,” Michael was sure that Robbie hadn’t dropped by just to say that.

“DS Murdoch and DC Burns seem happy together,” said Robbie.

So, that’s what Robbie wanted to talk about. Michael had a terrible feeling he knew where the conversation would go.

“He told me about how the two of them got together,” said Robbie.

“That must have been nice for you,” Michael said with a hint of sarcasm. “He’s been telling just about anyone who will listen about how he asked Eve out.”

Robbie smirked. “I was referring to the part where he came to you for advice and you told him about a superior officer who warned you off a colleague.”

Michael fought the urge to groan. The last thing he needed was Robbie prying into his personal life.

“I thought it was interesting myself. Couldn’t help but wonder if it involved a certain Jackie Reid,” said Robbie.

“That’s none of your business!” Michael snapped.

“Maybe not,” shrugged Robbie, “but Jackie’s a friend. I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“How is she?” asked Michael.

“Well enough. She took your transfer hard,” said Robbie.

Michael sighed, that was something he hadn’t wanted.

“I can’t believe I’m asking you this. But what’s stopping you from doing something?” asked Robbie.

Michael gave a humourless chuckle. “Seriously? I’m stuck here, while she’s about to go back to Glasgow.”

“That wasn’t a denial,” smirked Robbie.

Michael held the bridge of his nose before Robbie continued.

“Have you never heard of a long-distance relationship? You’ll be back soon enough anyway.”

Michael sat in silence, not knowing how to respond.

“Just think about what I’ve said.” Robbie got up from the chair and left the office.

Michael let out a long deep breath. What the hell should he do about that? Michael sat there, not knowing whether to follow his head or his heart.


	7. Chapter 7

Jackie was spending the evening at home, alone. It had been a few days since she came back from Aberdeen. Jackie hadn’t been in contact with Michael since coming home. She assumed he was busy with the aftermath of their case. For her part, she was trying to re-adjust to not seeing him every day. God, she must sound sad.

Jackie would have liked to have gone out. However, everyone seemed to be busy, and she didn’t feel like going out on her own. Come to think of it, Robbie had been acting a little strange. He had made weird suggestions that it might be better to stay at home. Jackie would have ignored him if she had something to do.

So, that left her flicking through the TV channels, not finding anything she wanted to watch. Fortunately, someone knocked on her door. She turned the TV off and opened her front door.

It was Michael.

“Hi,” he said.

It took Jackie a moment to find her voice, he’d been the last person she had expected to see.

“Hey.” She opened the door wider to let him in.

He followed her to the living room. After he took his coat off, Jackie motioned for him to take a seat with her on the couch.

“Is everything okay, Michael?” She knew his reason for being here had to be important. Otherwise, he could have just phoned her.

“I don’t know,” he said honestly.

That worried her. “How are things in Aberdeen?”

“As well as they could be, I suppose. DCS Dawson’s funeral was yesterday. They’ve even found someone to take over from him. We just need to pick up the pieces now.”

Jackie nodded. “That’s not why you’re here though, is it?”

Michael shook his head.

“What is it?” she asked gently.

Michael looked unsure of himself. “It’s just… I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, I’m all ears,” she smiled, “you know you can tell me anything.”

Michael took a deep breath. “Since this transfer, I’ve… realised some things.”

Jackie motioned for him to continue.

“One of those is how… I really feel about you,” he said.

Jackie stared at him in surprise, she hadn’t expected that. She felt a sense of hope, that maybe, her feelings weren’t unrequited.

“And?” she finally asked him.

“You’ve always been important to me,” he paused for a moment before he continued, “there’s a lot of things I haven’t liked about this transfer. But the thing I hate the most, is not seeing you every day.”

Jackie moved a little closer to him, Michael hoped that was a good sign.

“I don’t want there to ever be a time when you’re not part of my life. The past three months have made me think of all the time I’ve wasted,” he looked downward for a moment before meeting Jackie’s gaze.

“I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to say it, but: I love you,” he confessed.

He looked away again. “I know the timing’s bad. If anything were to happen between us, it would have to be long-distance for a while,” he said in a rush.

“Michael,” she said, and he made eye contact again.

She took one of his hands and planted a kiss on it.

Jackie took a deep breath. “Maybe the timing’s not perfect. But… I love you too,” she smiled.

Michael slowly smiled. “So, do you want… this?” he asked after a moment.

“Well, what do you think?” her smile told him everything he needed to know.

They sat in silence for a moment, knowing that their relationship was about to change forever. Michael leaned forward, cupped Jackie’s cheek and gently kissed her.

When the kiss ended, they slowly smiled at each other. Until, Michael leaned in for another kiss, this one more passionate than the first. He put both of his arms around Jackie to pull her closer.

After the kiss, Jackie grinned. “I think that was worth the wait,” she said breathlessly.

They laughed together, both elated at this recent development.

A while later, they were snuggled up together on the couch. In between kisses, something Jackie could see herself becoming addicted to, they talked a little of how they would handle their new relationship. They knew the next three months might not be easy, but they believed they could make it work.

“I was wondering…” said Jackie.

“What?” asked Michael.

Jackie looked up at him. “At what moment did you realise…”

“That I love you?” Michael smiled.

Jackie nodded with a smile of her own.

“Stuart’s party. Well, after the party. I found you asleep here and everything fell into place,” he said.

Michael kissed the top of her head.

“What about you?” he asked after a moment.

Jackie left the embrace, sitting upright. “It was a couple of things,” she said before turning to face him. “Burke made a comment about us and suggested I spend our time apart thinking about my feelings. Turns out I didn’t need long, later that night you phoned and that’s when I knew.”

She looked away from him. “Although, I did make an excuse to end your call. I just couldn’t face talking to you that night,” she admitted.

She looked and caught him trying not to grin.

“What?” she asked.

“Was that the time you said you were going out with Robbie and Stuart?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said after a moment.

“I knew you were lying.”

“How?”

“Apart from sounding distracted, whenever you go out with Robbie and Stuart, you usually go straight from work,” he smirked.

She sometimes forgot how well Michael knew her.

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“As long as that’s not a bad thing,” he said.

Jackie shook her head. “It’s not,” she grinned.

She sobered a moment later. “When do you need to leave?”

“First thing tomorrow. Unless you’d prefer me to go sooner,” he said.

“Why would I want you to go?” she asked with a bemused expression on her face.

“Well… It’s just… I don’t know if you…” he trailed off, clearly embarrassed.

Jackie tried not to show her amusement as she understood what he was trying to say.

“This is all very new, but I’m more than happy for you to stay in the spare bedroom,” she said softly.

“Thanks,” he smiled.

“Actually, I was thinking that maybe I could join you for a couple of days. I’d have to come back if a case comes up, of course. But I don’t think it’d be a problem,” she said.

“Are you sure? What about when I’m at work?”

“I’m sure I can think of something to keep me occupied. I just don’t want to waste an opportunity to be with you,” she said.

Michael smiled at her before he kissed her. Just as the kiss deepened, Jackie concluded that yes, she was becoming addicted to Michael’s kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter to go


	8. Chapter 8

The bullpen was quiet, Jackie noticed. It gave her a chance to reflect on the past three months. The time had flown by, and now it was Burke’s last day. Michael would be back on Monday. She smiled at the thought. Of course, things wouldn’t go back to how they were before the transfer. Instead, there would be a new normalcy, one that sounded better than the way things used to be.

Her relationship with Michael was going great. True, they hadn’t been able to see each other as much as they wanted to, though they were often in touch which almost made up for it.

Michael was moving in with her. For some that might seem too fast, but they both felt that they had wasted enough time.

She was supposed to be going to Aberdeen tomorrow to help him move. At least that’s what Michael thought. Jackie planned to have a couple of non-alcoholic drinks at Burke’s farewell party, before making the journey to Michael’s. She didn’t want to spend another night without him if she didn’t have to.

Jackie saw Burke carry the last of his stuff and decided to approach him. There were a couple of things she wanted to tell him.

“Do you need a hand?” asked Jackie.

Burke shook his head. “No, I’m alright, thanks.”

“I, eh, just wanted to say sorry for getting off on the wrong foot. I know I didn’t make things easy,” said Jackie.

“It wasn’t love at first sight, was it?”

“No,” laughed Jackie, after a moment she sobered. “Look, I also wanted to thank you. You made some comments that helped me realise- “

“Don’t mention it,” said Burke, knowing exactly what she was referring to.

Her relationship with Michael was common knowledge. They had even told Patterson, whose response had been as long as it didn’t interfere with the job, it was fine. However, she did warn them that if it did get in the way of the job, one of them would be looking at a transfer.

She also had Robbie to be thankful for. Michael had admitted to Jackie that his conversation with Robbie had been the final push he needed to do something about his feelings. She remembered going into work after getting together with Michael. Robbie’s knowing smirks had told her he knew exactly why she had been absent for those two days.

She spent a few moments talking with Burke about his new post, before wishing him well. They may have gotten off to a rocky start, but of all the people to have taken over from Michael, she was glad it had been him.

Jackie had enjoyed the party, but left early, as planned. She didn’t reach Michael’s flat until after eleven. His lights were on, so he was still awake. Jackie went to the door and rang the doorbell, deciding not to use Michael’s spare key.

The door opened and revealed a surprised Michael with a grin on his face.

“Well, this is a nice surprise,” he said before letting her in.

“I thought it might be,” she said after he closed the door.

“I thought you were at Burke’s farewell do.”

“I was, I just didn’t stay very long.”

“Obviously,” he said, before he took her in his arms.

“I… didn’t want to spend another night without you,” she admitted.

Michael smiled. “I’m glad you’re here.”

He leaned forward and kissed her.

After the kiss, they both entered the living room, which was filled with boxes.

“I see you’ve made a start with the packing,” she said while inspecting the boxes.

“I figured the more I did tonight, the less we’d have to do tomorrow,” shrugged Michael.

Jackie turned to face him. “What do you need me to do?”

They packed more of Michael’s things for a while, until Jackie started yawning.

“I’m fine,” said Jackie.

Michael frowned; he could hear the tiredness in her voice. “No, you’re not. You’ve had a long day. Look, we’ll have plenty of time to finish this tomorrow. How about we get some sleep?”

Jackie nodded; sleep did sound appealing.

They got ready for bed and Jackie slipped under the covers to settle next to Michael. He kissed her before saying goodnight. Sleep came quickly for both of them.

* * *

The move had gone without a hitch. Jackie had made sure that _their_ place felt like Michael’s as much as hers. It had been a couple of days since he moved in, and he seemed to be settling in.

Michael’s first day back had also gone well, Jackie mused. It had been quiet, something she was more than okay with after her weekend.

They had planned to go out for drinks with Robbie and Stuart to celebrate his return.

She just had to find him first.

He wasn’t in his office. Fortunately, she had a feeling she knew where he’d be.

She went up to the rooftop and smiled when she saw him.

“I knew you’d be here,” she smiled as she approached him.

Michael smiled at her in acknowledgement.

“You alright?” she asked.

“I’m fine, it’s just been a while since I’ve been up here,” he looked away from her to gaze at the view. “I’ve missed it,” he admitted.

“How does it feel being back?” she asked.

He turned back to face her. “It’s great. I knew I missed the place, but I didn’t realise how much.” He grinned before adding “I may have been busy missing someone else.”

“Is that so?” she smirked.

“Yes,” he said.

“Well, the feeling was mutual.” She kissed his cheek.

Michael put his arm around Jackie. They took in the sight of the city before them. The city that Michael was happy to be part of again.

“I take it Robbie and Stuart are waiting for us?” he asked after a moment.

“Yeah,” she replied.

“We should go then,” he said before releasing her.

She marvelled at him. Six months ago, they had just been friends, dreading their separation. Now, Michael was back and, not only were they together, but they were living together. Home now included Michael.

Things were perfect.

“What?” asked Michael.

“Nothing,” she said while gazing at him.

She closed the distance between them and kissed him. After the kiss, she held out her hand to him.

“Ready?”

“Yes,” he smiled while taking her hand.

They left the rooftop together with a spring in their steps. They had wasted a lot of time, but they were enjoying making up for it.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to those who left kudos


End file.
